Promises To Keep
by CaligoArye
Summary: Set After The Gift. It replaces whatever will happen in season 6. A mysterious character appears in Sunnydale to fulfill a promise.
1. Rememberence

Promises To Keep  
  
"WHOSE woods these are I think I know.  
His house is in the village though;  
He will not see me stopping here  
To watch his woods fill up with snow.  
My little horse must think it queer  
To stop without a farmhouse near  
Between the woods and frozen lake  
The darkest evening of the year.  
He gives his harness bells a shake  
To ask if there is some mistake.  
The only other sound's the sweep  
Of easy wind and downy flake.  
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.  
But I have promises to keep,  
And miles to go before I sleep,  
And miles to go before I sleep."  
-Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost  
  
Dawn walked slowly into the cemetary. She had two roses, one white with a light pink color around the edge, the other a rich red. The first was for Buffy, as it was the newer wound, and the other was for Mom, the wound that had already covered her heart. It was symbolic. It was fitting. Even if Spike suggested it.  
Slowly she placed the roses down on the ground before each headstone. She knelt between the two graves, just far enough back that she could see both epitaths at once. She felt the grief, the anger rising in her.  
It was all her fault. She was had become convinced that whatever the monks did to implant memories of her into Joyce was what triggered her brain tumor. If the monks hadn't made her into Dawn, then the Summers women wouldn't have died. She believed this, and that made it true.  
"It's my fault." Dawn said outloud, her voice cracking. "If I didn't come into your lives, you would have still been alive. The universe wouldn't have been in danger. Giles, and Anya and Tara wouldn't have gotten hurt. It's all my fault! Why? WHY? WHY?!?!" she cried tears of rage. "I should have just stayed a key."  
She sat quietly crying. She was so caught up in her grief, she didn't notice the newcomer until a small bouquet of forget-me-nots and violets was left on the grave. Dawn looked up, mouth open. It was a young woman, slightly older than Buffy and Willow. She was small, with a thin frame, long dark hair, pale skin and dark, fatigue-rimmed eyes. It was the same look Dawn saw on Buffy's face when they were in the run-down gas station where they had a stand off with the monks. She held a small sheathed dagger, which she pulled out slowly, ritualistically. With a quick gesture, the blade went across the woman's hand, and blood dripped on Buffy's grave.  
"I salute you, Slayer. May you enjoy the rest you've earned." She murmurred. Dawn watched in mute wonder as the wound closed up quickly, and the blood ceased.  
"Who?" Dawn finally managed to find her voice. The woman turned to her and smiled gently, weakly.  
"Hello, Dawn, I've heard so much about you." She said, placing the dagger back into her sheath.  
"You have?" Dawn said defensively, "From who?"  
"Lots of people. Glorificus, Gabriel, Lilith, Michael, the Monks." The woman said softly, "But the best stories were from Buffy."  
"Buffy?" Dawn asked, then she narrowed her eyes, "Who are you? WHAT are you?"  
"My name is Jacki. I have been many things. So many, I forgot who I really am." Jacki said, "There's more that needs to be done. I promised I would help. I swore..." she trailed off as she slide to the ground, exhausted.  
  
Dawn was lucky that Xander had decided to come by the gravesite also. Jacki, as she called herself wasn't easy to carry. It took the two of them to get the unconscious form to the car. They decided to take her to Giles' Shop, where everyone else was.  
Technically, it wasn't Giles' store anymore. He had moved to England, to help with training Faith. Faith, who broke down at the moment that Buffy died, feeling the full power of the Slayer rush to her, knowing the horrible horrible truth. She was borderline catatonic when Angel and Giles arrived to take her to England. It was almost like the way Buffy was, when Glory took Dawn.  
"Giles," she begged, looking at the Watcher, "Please don't tell me it's true. Lie to me, tell me that she found a way to release the Slayer power to me. That's she living a quiet life as a normal girl, taking care of Dawn. PLEASE?"  
Angel took the Slayer in his arms, and held her as Giles spoke.  
"I'm sorry, Faith." Giles said, voice half-hollow, half-pained, "But Buffy sacrificed herself, to save the world. We weren't able to bring her back either. Buffy is dead. You are The Slayer."  
"No." Faith said, her voice hard. "I have no right to that title. Buffy is The Slayer. She always will be. I'm just a Killer."  
Faith flew to England with Giles without a fuss. Wesley was going to join them a few weeks later, after he tied up some loose ends in LA. Willow and Dawn saw them off. Willow never thought that she saw someone who looked so defeated. Then she realized that it was how she must of have looked to Faith.  
"You take care of short-stuff here, Red." Faith said with an oddly accented voice, "Take care of the Hellmouth too. I'll be back to help when I've trained and proven myself." She then looked at Dawn, who they all knew was a part of Buffy, "You take care, Shorty. Be strong. In most of the ways that matter, you are Buff."  
The young slayer hugged her predecessor's sister/childe and walked on the plane.  
"You take care Dawn." Giles said, "And be sure not to get into trouble with the law. Willow's spell is powerful, but if anyone thinks about it they'll know the truth." He was referring to spell that Willow casted, making everyone believe that Xander was Dawn cousin, and thus legal guardian. They still couldn't find Hank Summers, and Giles was quietly getting concerned. He hadn't voiced his fear to anyone though, it was mystery he was going to solve on his own. But there were more important things to deal with. Other promises to keep.  
So Giles got on the plane with Faith (which Willow thought was wonderfully poetic), and left the store in Anya's care.  
The former demon was actually quite a natural for working in the store. She had vast knowledge of spells and potions, and magik objects, as well as shrewd business sense and liberal doses of...patriotism.  
"Xander, why are you carrying a strange woman in your arms?" she demanded briskly, jumping to her typical illogical and slightly neurotic conclusions. "How could you cheat on me when we only just got engaged? After I risked my life, MY life, to save yours? Oh you're just like all those other misbegotten..."  
"Anya, she came to Buffy's grave, and passed out after saying something about a promise. Xander happened to come by and I asked him to carry her. Besides if he was being unfaithful, which he WASN'T he wouldn't bring her to you!"  
"Oh," Anya said, lightly, "You're right. Put her on the couch while I grab a scrying glass to find out who she is."  
Xander shot a grateful glance to Dawn for diffusing his ex-demon fiance before placing the girl down. It was obvious that she had some great power. After a few years of battling demons and gods, Xander developed an eye for such things. Oddly, he didn't feel the least bit in trouble around her. He almost felt safer, like she was a protective force.  
Anya came in from the back. "Hmmph! I can't find the scrying glass. Giles probably put it away in a poor place and it got sucked in by a portal or something. Maybe there's one..." she trailed off as she finally got a good look at Jacki's face. She then gasped loudly, "Caligo!" she exclaimed. "It's Caligo!" she ran over the girl and inspected her, muttering to herself and bustling off to grab some odd objects. She came back and placed an amulet of healing and rejuvination on her.  
"Um, won't you need Willow or Tara to cast this spell?" Xander asked.  
"Oh no, Caligo can do it herself. But do make sure she stays away from most magik items, I believe the distance is 2 feet in all directions, until she wakes and can actually control her power. Otherwise she'll activate all the different spells available."  
The amulet began to glow and suddenly a small light engulfed the room. When it faded, Jacki began to stir and then opened her eyes. She sat up quickly, and glanced around.   
"Anya?" she murmured, "It's good to see you. Buffy did say that you would be here. Engaged I see." She grinned, "And to think you spent all those years spurning men."  
"Caligo." Anya said warmly, dropping to one knee, "It is good to see you."  
"What's going on?" Xander asked, looking between his fiance and the newcomer. "Why are you bowing? How do you know Buffy? What's going on?"  
Caligo laughed a rich laugh, solid like bells. "I am who was, I am who is, I am who will be."  
"Ok, that's good and vague, almost as vague as what you told me before, when you said you were Jacki, Caligo."  
"Well, um, Jacki was the name I was given when I was born to a mortal. My soul, my life force, my essence is Caligo. I am Immortal, given form and substance and thrown throughout time. My life began almost 22 years ago, but has lasted for a long as the universe. I fight and die only to return, for I am the Hero and Mentor. I am the Protector of Life trapped in the sea of Space/Time."  
"She is the Queen of the Sol System," Anya told them.   
Caligo waved a hand, "You know I make no claim on that title."   
"But they are yours, in every way that matters." Anya said wisely, while Caligo scoffed.  
"You're the Queen of the Solar System?" Dawn squeaked.  
"When the Solar Empire fell and the Queen was dying without an heir, she passed the Title and rights to me. It didn't matter because that alliance has fallen, it like saying I'm the Empress of Russia."  
"Why are you here then, Caligo?" Anya asked.  
"First of all Anya, get up. I can't stand it when you do that, especially since I know that you're trying to yank my chain. Secondly, call me Jacki. It's my name, whereas Caligo is well, my title, species? I dunno, but it's not my name." Jacki said. "I'm here because of a promise I made a long time ago for me, probably two months ago, for you all."  
"When Buffy died?"  
"Bingo." Jacki said, "But we'll wait for the others to get here. I hate explaining myself over and over again."  
"But they won't be here for..."  
Just then the door opened with Willow, Tara, Angel and Cordelia.  
"You!" All four of them cried at once.  
"All of you know her?" Xander asked. "How come everyone knows her but me?"  
"Xander, you know me." Jacki said slightly annoyed, "Right before Buffy showed. You probably thought it was a dream or something. And then not too long ago, for you that is."  
"Ohmygod!" Xander cried, "You're the one who told me to be friends with Buffy." Then he borrowed his brow, "YOU! You helped me pick out a ring for Anya! The one I thought was too expensive, but turned out I had the money...that I didn't...you gave me the extra money too!"  
"Gold star for you!"  
"What are you doing here?" Angel almost growled. "If you hadn't sent me away, I could have..."  
"She sent you away?" Cordelia asked, confused.  
"Um, no. I reinforced his belief that he needed be away from Buffy. That was something you decided on your own, my good friend. Whereas with you, I just arranged for your acting opportunity to be close by." Jacki looked at her watch, "Trust him to be late." She muttered.  
Just then Spike walked in muttering something about the reception in the crypt. He stopped short as he saw the whole crowd, "What the bloody hell is everyone doing here?" he then spied the newcomer. "I figured you'd pop up again one day. Why such a long wait?"  
"Whine, whine, bitch moan. I was created to hold your hand, William." Jacki said with a grin. The Vampire scowled.  
"So you've met everyone." Dawn said, crossing her arms. "And you know of me, so at this point introductions with be rather...well, redundant."  
"Not really," Spike said, gruffly, "The Bint's popped in an out of my life, without once explain who or what she is. So what's the deal are you immortal? Demon? God? Angel? Devil?"  
"Yes." She said, with a grin.  
"Bugger. She'll never answer that question." Spike said throwing his hands in the air.  
"Well then how about tell us why you're here?"  
"That's a good question, Cordy, and it has been pondered my philosophers since the beginning of time..."  
"Jacki." Willow said warningly. Jacki yawned.  
"You're no fun, Wills. I'm here because of giri."  
"Giri."  
"that's Japanese for obligation, right."  
"Yeah, you see, I made a promise. And I'm here to keep it." Jacki said, "I'm here to bring Buffy back."  
  
Intrigued? Want more? Review me! Please don't flame. With all the alcohol I drank in college, I'm quiet sure I'll incinerate.  



	2. Plans

Promises to Keep-Chapter 2  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy and company. I own Jacki/Caligo. Um...I'm also broke so don't sue me, please!!!  
  
I wanna thank the people that read and review this. I need the encouragement. I've actually been writing for a very long time (the first Buffy fanfic I wrote was right after Angel went to hell), I just haven't had the guts to post them until recently. So far it looks like my fears were slightly ungrounded. Thanks again!!  
  
  
  
Promises to Keep- Chapter 2  
  
Everyone stared at Jacki for a long time. She merely regarded them coolly, inside smirking at the silence. Finally it was Dawn who spoke up first.  
"When do we start?" she asked simply.  
"That's the spirit, Dawninator!" Jacki said jumping up.  
"Careful!" Anya exclaimed, "You're in a magik shop, wouldn't want to accidentally activate anything!"  
"Ooo!" Jacki gave Anya a thankful grin, "Thanks for the warning. I'll disiapate my circle." she concentrated and there was a subtle rush of air and faint "whumph" sound. "Ok, it's not going to be simple task to bring her back..."  
"You are actually going to listen to her?" Angel practically screeched.  
"whoa, Peaches watch it, you sound like a woman."  
"Spike..." the older vampire growled menacingly.   
"Both of you stand down, or I'll make you." Willow hissed. "Now Angel, you may not have had a good experience with Jacki here, but all of rest of us have."  
"I have never given you a reason to mistrust me, Liam." Jacki said, quietly.  
"How do you know my name?" Angel asked shocked.  
"I just do." Jacki answered, "Look it will do you no good to ask me questions of how and when. Just understand that things are what they are. You're name is Liam. That's all that matters. But in either case: You want my justification for sending you to LA? Fine, I'll give you my reasons! 1) The Powers that Be needed someone there to stop Wolfram and Heart from taking over the world, you and Buffy were the only ones qualified and we needed her in Sunnydale, 2) Buffy needed to move on. She couldn't if you were here. 3) YOU needed to move on. 4) If you were in Sunnydale, there wouldn't have been a chance for Spike to redeem himself, and I need him redeemed. 5) If Buffy hadn't have died when she did, she would have burnt out in a year and given in to the darkness. Get off your high horse, and get over yourself. This universe doesn't revolved around you. You can't get exactly what you want."  
"Oh but you do?" Angel hissed.  
Jacki stared long and hard at the souled vampire. Her face was blank, her eyes shadowed, "I know that you're only talking like this because of grief and anger, so I will let this slide, but don't, DON'T presume to judge me Liam Angel Kelin. If you had been where I have been, if you had seen what I had seen, if you learnt what I know, then you could understand, then you can judge me. No sooner, no later." she stretched, face suddenly dropping the shadows "It will still be while before we can get her back, like 9 months..."  
"That long?" Xander asked. He tried to control his impatience, not wanting the tongue lashing that Angel got. Instead he sounding like a little boy asking "Are we there yet?"  
Jacki smiled, "Well we have to make sure that the Slayer power has left her and gone over to Faith. Faith will be The Slayer, Buffy will be the former Slayer. There can only be one. That's why Kendra was killed so easily and Faith went off the deep end. They were both called but never truly activated. We can't do that to Faith or her sucessor, the Power must flow. That means her body must die. She can't go back to it."  
"Then how?"  
"Aww, come on peoples! Standing before you is The Incarnated Key!" she gestured to Dawn, "Made in the image of Buffy's dream daughter. We have the DNA, we have the technology and we have the power to make anything possible! If the monks can do it, you think we can't? With two powerful witches and a key?" Jacki looked at them. "The easy part will be cloning the body."  
"Cloning?" Willow stuttered, "As in Dolly the Sheep?"  
"Um, sorta. We'll be using a hybrid method, combining both science and magik. But you see, science, is SO my weak point. Willow, you have a knack for it all. You tell me what we need, I'll tesser it over."  
"Tesser?" Tara asked. Jacki glanced at the others and saw the blank expression on most of them.  
"Argh! Not you guys too!" Jacki sighed, "Ok we live and breath in the fourth dimension..." she began when suddenly Anya broke through.  
"Ok short explanation: teleportation." [AN: read "Fallen Angel" for Jacki's full explanation]  
"Why didn't you say that?" Spike asked.  
"Because it's not quite the same." Jacki said.  
"Willow," Anya looked at the Redhead, "It's alot like we did when I talked you into trying to help me get my power back."  
"Oh, I get it." the witch said, she turned to everyone else, "Travelling through hyperspace. Without a space ship."  
"OHHHH! I get it!" Cordelia said. Xander and Spike also nodded. Angel grunted and glowered in the corner [AN: I don't dislike Angel. Jacki and him will get along great soon enough. He's just angry at her].   
"Ok, so back to the plan. We work to rebuild Buffy's body. Like I said, it's easy, just it takes a long time for the body to develop, so there's about 9 months or so of down-time. Do we have access to an abandoned lab?"  
"What about the one that the Initiative used?" Tara asked.  
"They filled it in with cement." Spike said.  
"That's not a problem!" Jacki said, "I'll just tesser pieces out of there, and tesser in new equiptment. It would actually be great since no one would expect us there. So abandoned lab, check. We will need lots of magik items. But we have plenty of time for that."  
"So what's the gist of the spell?" Xander asked. "I am right in assuming there's a spell."  
"Well I haven't developed the spell yet." Jacki said, "I mean I know what needs to be done, I just have to figure out the most efficient and least painful way."  
"Pain?" Dawn looked confused, "There's pain involved?"  
"It's a rebirth, honey." Tara said, "Of course there's pain involved. Birth is the most painful thing we endure."  
"Exactly, it's labor." Jacki said, "I'll need memories, good and bad. You're all going to need to dredge up the truth of Buffy, warts and virtues. Otherwise she won't be her, the balance will be thrown and she'll be more suscitible to evil. But for the time being, just work on what you remember."  
"Are you going to stick around?" Spike asked lighting a cigarette.  
Jacki muttered something and the faint "whumph" was heard again. She pointed her finger and a thin laser beam incinerated the butt.  
"Hey!" Spike yelled, angry.  
Jacki's voice was cheerful, "I don't care that you're dead and that it won't kill you. Second hand smoke is just as dangerous to the rest of us. Now until you find a way to smoke and not expell exhaust, don't do it in my sight." Spike began grumbled under his breath, "And to answer your question, I will be sticking around. I need to work with all of you to get you to where I need you in order to bring back Buffy. Plus I'll be monitoring the progress of the clone-body, making sure it's perfect enough that Buffy's soul won't know the difference." Then she perked, "I'll also help patrol when I'm bored. Which will be most of the time."  
  
She walked into Sunnydale, heart beating rapidly. Jacki was back on Earth. She felt it the moment she showed. Using the spells that her mother taught her, she teleported close to the Walker. Hellmouth? Why would the Walker come here? It didn't matter. She could tell that she was here to stay. At least for a while. Plenty of time to build an army, test her defenses, find her weaknesses. Sorana smiled. Vengence would be hers.  
  
  
to be continued...  
  
So that's the gist of how Jacki is going to bring Buffy back. It won't be for a while. More or less, Buffy's return is the goal of the series. I'm trying to figure out a cool ritual, I have one in mind but I'm not sure if I'm going to use it. I'm letting the story write itself. It's probably going to have a slow build-up, but trust me it's going somewhere! Because of my personality (and the persona I'm trying to install in Jacki) it will get goofy at times. I'm still tryning to figure out if Buffy is going to be with Spike, Angel, or maybe I should just make up a new character. Riley isn't even in the running. I liked him right up until he got that sucking fixation, and then said it was Buffy's fault. any sympathy I had towards him just went away in that second.   
  
Well next episode: Lots of fun and slaying. We finally get to see what Jacki is capable of. YEAH! "Go Deadness for the Demons!" (I love Anya. She's so funny. Jacki going to hang out with her a lot).   
  
  



	3. Deadly Alliance

Promises to Keep - Chapter 3  
  
  
Disclaimer: I can only claim to own Jacki, and sometimes she doesn't let me do that. I'm just a historian to her. Oh well. It works out eitherway. She does stuff that I can write about, I make sure everyone knows it. It's a fair enough trade. I don't own Buffy and company, so please don't sue me! I mean seriously would you sue Homer? Cuz he really didn't own any of the greek gods...and what about St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke and St. John? They didn't own Jesus or the Apostles...Ok, I'm babbling. I'll stop now, and write my story...  
  
  
"Sunnydale ought to be easy pickings," the leader said to his minions. "With that pesky Buffy girl dead and the next Slayer back in England, there would be nothing standing in way as we take over the Hellmouth and bring forth the END!" The crowd around him cheered, loudly.  
"How do you know that the Hellmouth doesn't have other protectors?" A small voice said from the back. The crowd turned to see a young woman leaning casually against the doorway, idly filing her nails.  
"What is this impudence in my ranks?" The huge demonlord roared angrily, staring at this slip of a girl. "You are not the new Slayer, so you are no threat."  
She laughed. It was a joyful, happy kind of laugh. The kind you hear from children during cartoons. A thick burbling sound that came from her chest and flowed out her mouth. It went on for a while.  
"YOU WILL NOT MOCK, BEIAL!" one of the lesser minions roared launching himself at the girl. Her laughter abruptly dropped, as if the soundtrack ended. There was no noise, except the sucking sound that was made as the girl's hand slammed into demon's chest. She grinned at him for a second before ripping out his heart. He tried to gasp, but his body soon failed him and he fell in a heap at her feet.  
Sorana lifted the heart to her mouth and bit down, like one would on a ripe tomato. She sucked deeply, and the heart shriveled and turned to dust. She licked stray drops of blood from her lips.  
"The Protector has returned to this dimension." She announced, "She is with the friends of the Slayer, a very powerful group of adepts that you would do well not to underestimate. They killed the Beast, stopped her from opening the Doorway. They stopped Wolfram and Heart. They can annihilate you."  
"Who are you?" Beial asked, darkly, "What do you want?"  
"For now I do not wish for my enemies to know I'm in town, so for now, I will give you no name. I wish to make an offer. My services and aid in taking over the Hellmouth." She answered, "A place on your council. I promise you that the Hellmouth will be yours and the End shall be. And in return I ask merely a trifle: The chance to kill the Protector with my barehands."  
Beial was not a stupid demon. He knew a good deal when he saw one.  
  
  
Xander was very happy that Anya suggested that they wait until Buffy was back before getting married.   
"She needs to be there." Anya said, "She'll be my maid-of-honor." The ex-demon smiled happily at the thought of the Slayer's return. She had full faith in Jacki's plan working. "Jacki is very clever, and powerful. If she thinks she can, she knows she can, and she will." Anya said simply. It was amazing the way Anya believed in Jacki, almost as if the new girl was god or something.  
"Maybe she is." Xander thought aloud. After all, he went back to his internal voice, for all intents and purposes, she's immortal. She has great power, and eerie knowledge. That sounds an aweful lot like a god to him.  
"Depends on your definition of god." A voice to his left startled him. He looked and saw Jacki. She had that calm understanding look on her face, "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. You were just thinking so loud, I could help but pick it up."  
"Oh." Xander said stupidly. "What do you mean by definition?"  
"Well according to a lot of mythologies, I would definitely classify as a god. In those same mythologies, Spike, Angel, Anya, Willow, Buffy and Dawn would be gods, or at least demi-gods. In other mythologies, I would be a form of angel, probably of the Powers or Dominions choir, maybe Seraphim or Archangel."  
"What do you consider yourself?" Xander asked, as the two began walking though the cemetary. They had worked it out so that everyday there was a different group on patrol. Jacki had split up the teams fairly well. Putting together unusual groups that worked together to balance weaknesses with strengths.  
Spike and Tara were one team. Spike's vampiric strength and abilities meshed surprisingly well with Tara's natural magick. Jacki had shown the witch new methods of witchcraft more suited for her nature and bloodlines, making Tara as effective, in many way more so, than Willow. Turns out Tara had some kind of latent beastmaster abilities, that worked to send Spike into a beserker rage that mad him nasty.  
Willow teamed up with Cordelia. Willow's powerful fay/demonic powers matched up nicely with the great hand to hand that Cordy developed. Also Cordy's ability to see future dangers, kept them from getting caught off guard. It was becoming more developed with Jacki's help. Now Cordy was able to trigger the visions at will, without those headaches. She also had been making a point of studying different kinds of demons so she could identify them on-sight.  
Angel was teamed up with Anya. The ex-demon had become quite good at bashing things in the head, leaving them open to Angel's staking, maiming and killing. They both had a great deal of knowledge between them, all of which proved useful when figuring out the most effective way to kill demons.  
Dawn wasn't on a team. Yet. She was still in training. Jacki thought that Dawn should learn to control her energy before putting her in the field. She was also being taught some martial arts from Angel and street-fighting from Spike. Both vampires were very impressed at how quickly she picked it up. Jacki smiled one of her cryptic smiles. Willow and Tara were also teaching her a bit of magicks in which she was making some progress. Within a month the girl would be ready for the field.  
Xander was a little shocked when Jacki teamed herself up with him. He supposed it made sense. He was, afterall, the one with the least amount of power, physical or magickal. She, from what he seen, was the most powerful. It made sense that she would protect him.  
"I'm not protecting you." She said quietly, "You are no where near as weak as you think. Sure you have the least powers of the group, but that doesn't mean jack. Look at who you're comparing yourself too!"  
"I'm still projecting huh?" he asked sheepishly.  
"You'll learn to control it." She said soothingly, "Besides you're not the only one who projects. Spike while learning to control his diarrea of the mouth hasn't quite stopped the brain. Angel constantly grumbles whenever I talk."  
"What's his malfunction?"  
"I sent him away. Put him where he could show up in time to save Buffy. He's convinced that with him added to the mix, she would have been saved." Jacki said, "And she probably could have. Angel and Spike together could have held off Doc, while Buffy pummled Glory. But what happened, needed to happen. For her sake, for the sake of the Slayer line and the sake of the world."  
"You don't have an easy job do you?"  
"No." she said. She paused a second. "I'm stalling a bit though. To answer your question: What do I think I am? I'm a girl. A girl with powers and destiny and awareness beyond all others. But at heart and soul and spirit, I'm a girl."  
Xander was silent for a second. Then he spoke. "What do I have to offer to this team?"  
"what do you mean?"  
"Well you got Spike and Angel, both Vampires turned to the side of light. Willow and Tara, powerful witches. Cordelia and Anya, experts in demonology. Dawn a powerful key in the form of the Slayer's daughter/sister, and you, a girl who is omniscient and powerful. What do I bring to the table?"  
"Your courage. Your emotional strength. Many other things that you need to figure out for yourself. I can't tell you, I can only prepare you for the moment of revelation." She said. "I didn't team up with you to protect you. Eventually, I'm going solo. You'll be teamed up with Dawn."  
"What?" Xander yelled, "Jacki, I can't..."  
"Yes you can. You're her 'big brother', the most capable of protecting her until Buffy comes back. And like I said, you also have gifts. You just need to find them yourself." She stopped and looked suddenly alert. "Danger" she murmured.  
They came out of nowhere. Oozing demons of odd shapes. They had a powerful odor that caused Xander to gag. Both we immediately in battle.  
"Xander, staking them won't work." Jacki told him. She gestured and a sword appeared in her hand. "Catch!" she threw the blade at him. "Dismember them."  
Xander nodded, fighting the bile that came to his mouth. He swung the sword, which seemed to take a life of it's own in his hands. Within seconds he was stepping over the bodies of not one but two demons and facing down the third. It was a little easier to defeat the last one. It happened without fanfare.  
Jacki had made short work of her opponents also. She had called upon her mystic blade of Innana, the Warrior Deity, and violently slashed through the demons like they were made of butter. They looked in shock as the realized that she had sliced their arms off before they could even raise them.   
She turned to the last one with blazing eyes. Xander gasped softly, when he saw that her eyes were like Spike and Angel's when they vamped out. With a beastial roar she lept forward bringing the hilt of her dagger into the demon's chin. With a savage movement, she slammed the dagger's blade into his chest andslashed outward from there. There was a frenzy of motion and spraying blood that made it nearly impossible for Xander to see. Then the demon fell to the ground and Jacki was breathing normally.  
As her game-face faded, there seemed to be a strong look of sadness to her. "chaos-folk" she told him. "They were once a beautiful race, much like fae or pixies, but they were taken and perverted by Evil." She murmured in a glutteral language, and light flowed from the bodies to her hands. It pulsed softly, in a soft iridescent flash. "May you find tranquility, my brothers." She threw up her hand and the light fluttered away like a butterfly.  
She looked at Xander again, "Let's head back." She said, "It's almost morning." She began to walk away, and Xander realized he was still holding her sword.  
"Jacki, your sword." He thrust it out to her. She looked at him with a ghost of a smile.  
"It's your sword, Xander. It came here for you."  
  
  
"So it seems the Slayer's mortal male is another kind of chosen one." Beial murmured.  
"I told you not to underestimate them." Sorana said, "We'll need to study them for a while, find weaknessed. It's most unfortunate the Protector lost her hesitance to kill chaos-folk. They used to be her people. But her killing them indicates she can no longer change them back. Her power has faded."  
Beial studied his new ally. She was very attractive by all standards, rich red hair and porcelin white skin. Her lips had a coral tone to them, her eyes were dark amethyst. She wore red leather that clung to her curves loosely, with a corset bustier that accented her hourglass figure.  
She caught him staring and smiled. Te Demon lord was not unattractive. He had long dark hair that hung straight around his face. His skin was a pale ghostly white, accented by the tight black leather he wore. He would be worthy. She quietly reached over and touched his arm, before wordlessly getting up and heading to his chambers. He followed after only a second's pause.  
  
  



	4. Reflections

Promises to Keep  
  
Disclaimer/Author's notes: I don't own Buffy and company. Jacki sometimes lets me claim the rights to her, but she's very picky. Don't sue, I have no money.  
  
I decided to speed things up just a bit. I was going through some of my preliminary stories and I got a huge flash of inspiration for Jacki's character and various plot twists. I know what I'm going to do with her now. So production time on the Buffy ressurection has been moved up. She'll be back sooner than I said. Yay! Ok so to the story...  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Dawn was getting bored. She had been training and training. She knew all she needed to. When she asked Jacki when she was going to be put in the field, the brunette responded, "When the time is right."  
The frustrated Dawn. Even though they were fabricated, her memories always had her being coddled and held back. She thought it would be over when Jacki announced that Dawn would begin training for the field, but it just took a different form. It was even more frustrating because she now knew she had the strength and skill. They just weren't giving her a chance.  
She ducked around the corner hoping she wouldn't be seen. She was on her way to visit Buffy. Or the body Buffy will soon inhabit.  
Like Jacki said, it was a fairly easy process to clone Buffy. All they needed was the DNA, provided by Dawn, and little magickal encouragement. Now a small body was growing before their eyes in an orangy-goo that Jacki and Willow concocted and Tara blessed.  
Dawn liked watching the body. It fascinated her. She had never really done this. She was instanteously created. She had wondered why they couldn't do that with Buffy. Jacki tried to explain, saying that Dawn's spirit, the essense of the Key, had never had a body before, thus wasn't picky. Buffy's soul, in order to continue being Buffy, had to have the genetically identical body. If it wasn't Buffy's body, Buffy's soul would in essence be reincarnated and given a different personality.   
It confused Dawn, but she got the message. They needed to be patient. Especially if they wanted Buffy. Dawn could be patient. She wanted her sister back. She would wait forever.  
  
A shadowy figure followed Dawn closely. It had recognized her as the sister of the Slayer, and decided that Beial would like to have some information on the girl. Sorana, Beial's new consort, had said that the Slayer's closest shouldn't be underestimated. It took it to mean that they should be watched.  
The girl ducked behind a small hedge and disappeared. The demon stood for a moment, then decided to follow her. It was surprised to find a small vent opened. Curious it crawled in, and soon found itself in a small laboratory. It barely controlled it's gasp when it saw the machine, The giant test tube that held the Slayer.  
He needed to get this information to Beial. It might prove useful.  
  
Jacki went on patrol by herself that night. Xander was sleeping. The Sword came with memories, memories of the previous wielders. Xander was having a hard time keeping track of himself, keeping separate from the other ones who held the Sword. Jacki casted a spell, a deep spell. When he woke, he would have all the memories assimilated and he would be ok.  
Jacki sighed unhappily. She wished that she could stop the coming days, spare them from the pain. But they needed it. They needed it to get stronger.  
"You had this argument long ago, Jacki. You accepted it then. Accept it now." She muttered.  
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something.  
Dawn.  
What was that silly childe doing out at night? Jacki asked herself, Luckily she has enough training that she could handle herself. She saw the direction the girl was going: The hidden laboratory. She was visiting Buffy. Jacki smiled. Dawn was sure getting antsy for her sister's return.  
"I'll give her some time alone, then I'll go and scare her." Jacki said, turning to the cemetary.   
She didn't notice the demon creeping after Dawn.  
  
Anya watched anxiously as Xander continued to toss and turn. She was little frightened. She had also known that Xander was destined for something, Jacki had told her.  
"Anya, you will lose your power when you deal vengence on a certain person. Then you will fall in love with him. To resist it will only make it stronger. You will end up needing him as much as he needs you."  
Anya didn't believe her though. She thought that Jacki was just a meddling angel who was just trying to ruin her fun. She eventually went on to forget the prophecy. Fate eventually took her to Sunnydale, to help avenge a wronged Cordelia. The Dooplegangland she created with that wish was pretty heavy. She ended up creating a Giles with enough desparation to destroy her gem and make her powerless.  
Anya suddenly remembered the prophecy. It was brought back even more when Jacki appeared again. She handed Anya a bunch of papers, verifying her new identity as Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins, born July 4th, 1979. Also in the envelope was a key to a small studio in downtown Sunnydale, almost $2000 in cash, and a bank statement that had $750,000 in it.  
"Maybe when you graduate, I'll get you a car."  
It was in that car that Anya was able to leave town to avoid the Ascension. One of those was enough. Yet as she drove she couldn't but think about Xander. He was the reason that she was mortal. Well actually that was Cordelia who wished it, but he was the one she was seeking vengence on. He was the one Jacki said she would fall in love with.  
She thought that by using the law of opposites she could break free of the prophecy. So she hung around him. She talked to him. She tried to be his girlfriend. It shouldn't be so hard, she reasoned, she knew every weakness of every man. She had seen it throughout the years. It would be a matter of time before they dated. Then he would wrong her, like he wronged Cordelia, and she would leave him.  
He never wronged her. He reacted in the complete opposite manner of every guy she ever knew. He was kind, firm and didn't give in to her blatant come ons. He wasn't the typical male. She soon became intrigued. She was beginning to like him.   
"See, this is exactly what I meant about resistance." Jacki said, once again appearing out of nowhere. "It's making it worse."  
"I'm not resisting!" Anya too her, "I'm trying to make him fall in love with me!"  
"But you're also trying not to fall in love with him." Jacki said, "Love is an odd odd deity, Anya. Strong too, very few have ever had the strength to resist her. The more you fight her, the more of a challenge you are. She can't stay away from challenges."  
"I'll stop. I'll leave."  
"You can't. I'm your legal guardian, Anya. I'll track you down."  
"You're going to keep me here until I die!"  
"No, just until you graduate. Once you do that, you're legally your own person. And you might as well stay in school. I did promise you a car afterall."  
"So I pass all these classes and I can leave."  
"Yup, show me that last report card that sez you passed your senior year, and I give you a car."  
She got the car but not until after she went to the prom with Xander. Looking back she was pretty sure that was when she started really loving him. She was prattling on and on about her old days, trying to keep his interest. It wasn't until she stopped talking and leaned in close dancing to him, that she really felt it. It took all her might not to tremble.  
"This isn't so bad." She finally said, feining indifference. She almost passed out when he softly, involuntarily pulled her closer.  
But then she found out about the Ascension and everything hit the fan. She needed to get out there. The only reason she survived the last was because she was a demon. She was now a mortal again. There was no way she would survive, especially since it was happening on the Hellmouth. It didn't matter that the Slayer was there, along with some powerful mages (even if Willow was nowhere near realizing her strength). She did what she could to help. She warned them of the danger and urged them to run. It was all she could do.  
She finally showed Jacki her report card. The one that said she passed and was ready to graduate. Jacki nodded and gave her the keys to a car. Anya then packed up and got ready to leave. But first she had to see Xander. She tried to convince him to leave with her, finally admitting her feelings, how the thought of him getting hurt makes her sick to her stomach.   
God, she hated communicating, especially feelings she had never felt before. Everything always came out wrong.  
She couldn't stop thinking about him. She never told anyone but the furthest she got was back to her own apartment. She couldn't leave him, but she was too scared to help. She hated the human thing. Hated hated hated.  
"And I was thinking that I would give anything to be in your place right now." A quiet voice said. It was Jacki, of course. She was sitting in the window seat of the apartment, with her knees to her chest. For a second she looked to Anya like a lost little girl, but then she looked up with those ageless eyes that seem to hold the knowledge of the universe. "But I imagine this is all hard. You were never raised as a human thus you know nothing of human etiquette."  
"Could you teach me?" Anya asked, her voice trembling.  
"I could tell you what to do," Jacki said, "But you have to learn how yourself. This isn't something that I can conjure into your head. Well I could, but then you would be a clone of me and not yourself. It's very important that you be yourself, Anya."  
"Why?"  
"Because you were the one given this chance, not me." Jacki said, "So there's an Ascension in the makes right now isn't there?" she peered out the window. "They will win."  
"How do you know?"  
"The same way I knew you would lose your demonic side." Jacki said with a grin.  
"A method that you will not share I suppose." Anya humphed, sitting on her bed.   
"She can be taught!" Jacki said in a goofy voice. "What's wrong?"  
"Everything! It's been so long since I've had human emotions I forgot what they all are!" Anya said with a sigh. "I right now have this vomity feeling in my stomach whenever I think about how I said no when Xander asked for help."  
"Ah yes, that would be guilt." Jacki said.  
"Yes. I'm a terrible person." Anya said, falling backwards on the bed. "Terrible terrible terrible!" She then began crying, sobbing in fact. Jacki was beside her in seconds, gathering her in a strong hug.  
"No, Anya, you're human. With the fears of a child, for you never grew up. All this is new and terrifying, you now have to think about keeping yourself alive. It doesn't help that you know all the horrible things that can befall mortals. It doesn't help that you know the truth. " Jacki said in a soothing voice. "But you can't let that keep you from living and enjoying life."  
"How can I stop being a terrible person?" Anya asked.  
"You find something that you would die for, but you would prefer living for. You find something that makes you think about it, rather than just yourself. You make friends, Anya. Caring is a lot easier than you think."  
"I care about you, Xander." Anya said, bringing herself back to the present. "I am here for you. I will make sure that you will be as safe as I can make you." She gently kissed his forehead, then curled up beside him and went to sleep.  
  
  
Dawn wasn't training for nothing. She sensed the demon as soon as it involuntarily started. She knew what it was and how she should go about fighting it. It was a shadow-demon, a night-stalker, best for spying on people at night, but very vulnurable to the light of day.  
"Sunlight!" she called loudly, focusing the energy at the demon. It was startled, looking like a mutant deer in headlights. "Who are you? Who do you work for? And Why were you spying on me? You have 30 seconds."  
"I will not tell you, Slayer-spawn!" it snarled, before sending a blast at her.  
She closed her eyes and concentrated. "Nullify!" she called, removing the beam from existence. Then she lept into battle. Within seconds she had the demon on the ground.  
"Do I need to ask you again, night-stalker? You will I have to tear the information out of your mind. I have to tell you, I'm pretty new at this whole telepathy thing. I might accidentally fry your brain. Oh well. Accidents happen."  
"I was to say the same to you!" another glutteral voice said from behind her. Dawn only had enough time to roll with the blow as it sent her sprawling to the ground.  
"Protect the place from further tessering!" It was a larger type demon. One of the higher ranks, probably a Baron. He brought a small army. He glanced at Dawn. "So you're the sister of the slayer. I lost some good men to her, I think it's time I exact my revenge on her blood!"  
Dawn panicked, *JACKI!* she screamed.   
  
Jacki heard her, and entered the girl's mind to try to get her location and situation. She tried to tesser but it didn't work.  
"Frell, he put up frelling wards." She glanced again at Dawn *sweetie, I can't teleport directly to you. You need to calm down and focus on the fight. Keep them at bay until I can make it there. I'm going to need to get the others too. You can keep them back. Don't try to kill, it will waste energy. We should only be a minute.*  
*Ok, Jacki. I can do this.*  
*Yes you can!*  
Jacki teleported to everyone else, downloading the information to them as she tessered them away. Within seconds, they were all up and battle ready.  
"We'll need to blast our way into the lab." Willow said accessing the situation.  
"There's a large group surrounding the entrance. We'll need to get through them too." Angel said, glancing at them all.  
"Ok, Wills, you and Tara join." Jacki said, "Use a seismic spell, with a slight demon-fire twist. Xander, and Anya take the left. Cordy and Spike take the right. Angel, you and I are leaping headlong. We go in as soon as the spell is cast, using the explosion to cover our entrance and surprise them. Willow, Tara, use the confusion to locate and disable the wards, so I can teleport us and the stuff for Buffy out of there." Everyone nodded in agreement, "GO!" Jacki yelled.  
Within seconds the explosion had thrown off the guards, killing many of them in the process. Immediately, some very angry and savage fighters attacked them. It wasn't easy for the attackers. The demons were told under no circumstances would these people be let in. They were to fight to the death.   
  
Dawn was also thrown off by the large blast. The Hell Baron was now closing in. She panicked again.  
"BUFFY!" she screamed. It was instinctive, primal.   
"It is futile to yell, Slayer-spawn. No one will make it here in time to save you. You will die!"  
Just as he was about to lunge, a hand was on his shoulder. He turned and found himself staring into intensely blue eyes, framed by soft blond hair.  
"YOU!" the Baron gasped, "It can't be!"  
"Excuse me, but if you would kindly step away from my sister, I would really appreciate it." Buffy said, before slamming her fist into the demons face and sending him sprawling into the wall. "Over there is just perfect!" she said before executing a flying kick. She then lept back and grabbed a piece of glass and slashed his throat. She didn't relax until he fell forward and disintergrated.  
"Dawn?" she turned to the young woman, her eyes bright with tears. "My baby."  
"Buffy!" Dawn cried happily before running to Buffy and hugging her.  
"DAWN!" Spike and Willow burst into the room, looking around frantically. Spike still had his game face on while Willow had a super spell charged. They stopped short, causing Xander and Angel who were just two steps behind them to crash and knock them down. Anya, Cordelia and Tara ran in also, and failing to see the others on the ground, also tripped over them. Jacki ran in but managed to catch herself before falling.  
They all stared at what they saw.  
"Buffy?" Willow whispered.  
"Yeah, Will, I'm back." Buffy said.  
"But Jacki said it would take nine months!" Xander said, looking at Jacki, who actually had her jaw to the ground in shock. "Um, I take it this was unexpected."  
"Uh, yeah. I didn't know this was going to happen." She said, she then started doing some calculations in her head. "Oh wow, the Hellmouth energies, combined with the desperation of Dawn, triggered a flare in her powers as the key. I assume that she sped up time, and called Buffy back. Hmph. So much for a complicated ritual." She regarded Buffy, "Well you're back. I say we party." Jacki paused for a second. "Well, after we get you some clothes."  
Buffy finally took a good look at herself and shrieked.  
  
  
  
End: Ok, there's part 4. Sorry it took so long. I kind of got lazy about the ritual and figured this was as good a time as any to bring Buffy back. Like I said with the new direction I'm going with the story, I needed Buffy back sooner. Well I'm now off to write more. Enjoy this chapter!  
  
Jacki  
  



End file.
